Loving What Is

“The Work by Byron Katie” by Lisa Guyman

I saw Byron Katie speak recently; she is the originator of what is called “the work” and the author of “Loving What Is” and “I Need Your Love – Is it True?”. In “the work” you answer some very simple questions about whatever is upsetting you and then you examine the beliefs that you hold around the ‘upsetting’ subject until it turns itselfaround. It is quite a simple, but yet a profound process.

When we examine our beliefs (i.e. the stories we tell ourselves about the events happening in our lives) we often realize that our beliefs are filled with lots of unquestioned and faulty assumptions. By turning our beliefs inside out, we often find that beneath our fearful thoughts, is actually a place of love and peace. But so often we stay stuck in a spiral of negative thoughts and emotions. Byron says we need to “stop scaring ourselves” and question anything that is bothering us.

I felt a sense of peace and lightness listening to her and in the aftermath of doing “the work” which really isn’t work at all. I looked at some painful issues that have been up for me lately and I actually began to see the humor and the unnecessary drama in what was upsetting me and in doing so found some emotional reprieve.

The bottom line is that we are solely responsible for how we feel – no one can hurt us, no one makes us happy, no one can make us feel loved or unloved. We get to do all this for ourselves. It is actually quite empowering work. The source for bliss and peace is within and when we find a way to love ‘what is’ we are often, ironically, bombarded with wonderful things on the outside too. This is the law of attraction at it’s finest.

Inspirations

“We are not here alone; we are here to support and share in each others journey. Give yourself the support that you need by nurturing your friendships, enlisting a counselor, hiring a coach, becoming part of a spiritual community, etc. There is no need to go it alone.”by Lisa Guyman